CrochetGranny

I had my C-section (vertical incision) many years ago when I was young and a much 'bigger baby' than I am now - so at the time I thought I was in some considerable pain. When I had the lapband I thought it was a piece of cake (at age 60) with very very little pain. (course in between the two I got to experience a little taste of real pain when I had a total knee replacement and they accidently unhooked my morphine pump the first night after surgery and left it unhooked til the following morning!!)

I wouldn't worry too much about the pain from the lapband (not to discount anyone else's pain) - but it is done laprascopically; some people have pain with gas which I didn't. My first night I had a little problem getting out of bed but it wasn't anything I couldn't handle on my own.

When I first began my lapband journey, I copied this quote from a thread on LapBandTalk; I wish I could give credit to whomever posted it, but alas I forgot to copy the name of the originator. This is what I decided to tell if anyone ever said that to me (but so far no one has):

"I wonder if these people would prefer us to be lying smugly in our early grave with our supersized casket and an inscription on our tombstone reading, "Hey, I died 20 years before I should have but at least I didn't take the easy way out.""

I prefer "the easy way out" to dying an early death from my co-morbidities. I may still die early but at least I did SOMETHING to try to prevent it.

Referring to the other thread, it says the fill maximum is 4 CC in a 10 CM band, so maybe that is the solution to the mystery, a 10 CM band, not a 10 CC band. ( I don't know a thing about this cm, cc stuff, though)

Hi Carol, I'm about 60 miles southeast of Springfield and close to your age (I'm 60). Had my surgery in Clinton in July 07. Losing fairly slow, but happy with my results!! I would be glad to talk to you, whatever you need to discuss. I am retired now; used to work in Springfield.

Cerrin, would you mind sharing the brand of liquid Vitamin you take? And, how does it TASTE? Thanks

I just had my 4th fill; I'm at 6.5 cc. My nurse-practitioner said so far she has not filled anyone with the small AP above 7.5 (however, I think I was the first one in their office to get the small AP). I went 3 months between this fill and the last one, that I now think that was about a month too long!! I can still eat lettuce, chicken, etc and probably more food than I need to though.

so I chose to pay for it myself rather than wait. So there are longer diet requirements. (I have Personal Care Insurance).

Maybe you could pay for 1 (maybe the one that needs it the most) and see if the other one makes an attempt to comply with the diet. Tough decision, but depending on your age, you may need that 401K yourself.

unjury is right up there at the top, along with Multi Pro Belgian chocolate and whey Gourmet chocolate Peanut Butter (my very personal favorite!).

99% of what I tried were dumped to the sink after one or two sips...These I can drink!! I tried the Unjury chocolate, unflavored (with warm Water and Better than Boullion as a hot drink), chicken Soup flavored, and vanilla. I like them all, and these are the only drinks I do along with the two mentioned above and Muscle Milk Lite (the only premixed drink I have found that fell within my doctor's guidelines and that I liked). I mix the cold drinks with Water and ice and blend, or with skim milk and ice and blend usually. They don't have that 'thick' taste that some of the canned shakes have.

If you and others here DIDN'T have their pictures and weight loss stories, sizes, etc, people like me would never have decided to have the band.

What you choose to weigh, or what your body decides you should weigh, is up to you. Why should anybody feel intimidated? I will be satisfied if I get to 150; but I would be ecstatic if I got down to 120 or so. But if I get to 150, I definitely won't feel like a failure.

I know that what I get out of this will be in direct proportion to what I put INTO it!

Hi, 5'2" - started at 245 wearing a 24 (some were too tight) now at 218 wearing a 22. Course my age probably has something to do with it too.

I am a retired "Systems Consultant"; another way of saying systems analyst/computer programmer. I liked my job but I LOVE my retirement!!

Hi, I will be 60 in less than 2 months so would like to join this group also! I had my band on July 20, 2007. There was an older thread for over 60 but I guess it died months ago!

Maybe I was lucky - I've had 1 c-section and a hysterectomy, and the pain for the lapband was more like a toothache (minor one at that!). I took one dose of painkiller the same day I came home from the hospital (because I thought I should - not because I felt I needed it) and switched to liquid tylenol the next day (1 dose of it) and nothing from then on. The largest incision (mine was about 4 ") hurt a little bit, the others not at all. I am retired so didn't have to worry about going to work, but could have gone back to a desk job in probably 3 or 4 days. I had zero pain from gas that some people talk about.

By the third night I was sleeping on my right side, and by the end of week 2 was sleeping on my left side and stomach. I am currently at 4 1/2 weeks out and have absolutely no pain, and haven't for a couple weeks.

I never had a problem getting out of bed, just rolled to my side and sat up slowly. The only problem I did have is dizziness.

I think it all depends on your tolerance to pain, and the gas effects, etc.

Hope all works out fine for you!!

Hi NM Sunshine. I will be 60 in a couple months; I had my lapband surgery July 20, 2007. I have lost 20 lbs with the pre-diet and since being banded. I have high blood pressure (going down), diabetic (sugars going down), CAD - 3 stents, and a right knee replacement (weight loss so far is helping with the knee pain). My insurance required a one year diet beforehand - hell I could be dead in a year!! so I self-paid. No regrets so far!!

I have been dizzy and light-headed since the surgery (not necessarily when eating, but all the time) and it is just beginning to let up now. (I am three weeks out from surgery) I have done searches on this forum and other places. From what I read, I have concluded that it is a result of the surgery. Some posts say that the vagus nerve lies up against where the band is sewn to the stomach, thus when the stomach is swollen or healing, it could be irritating this nerve. This nerve can cause the dizziness, as well as various other things, such as suppressing hunger, hiccups, etc. The posts I read said as the swelling subsides it will go away. Also, some posts said this may be your 'full' message.

CrochetGranny; banded July 20, 2007 small AP band

Unjury is great and can be purchased at Unjury.com

Hi All, a Mary emailed me asking what kind of shakes I recommend; I can't respond privately because email access is blocked both thru the forum and personal email.

Mary, if you see this, you asked about accessing the journals. You just go to the top of the page and click on journals (but you must be logged in). Just scroll down to my journal and look at all the entries - several of them mention what Protein drinks I prefer and why.

I got some Unjury from their website and also ordered a sample pak from BariatricEating.com; also got some various from Walmart, Walgreens, and Vitamin World. I have been posting 'reviews' of what I have tried so far in my journal (CrochetGranny). My doctor says they must be 200 calories or less, less than 10 grams of sugar per serving, and adequate Protein.< /p>

Sounds like an old Diet Workshop recipe from years ago - we made it with cottage cheese, diet lime Jello, and pineapple. No whipped cream. Glad you brought it up. I've been thinking about how I'm going to get Protein for Breakfast after I'm banded (besides eggs, ugh!) and this would be great!!

Hi sweetforlife. I am on day 5 of my pre-op diet and so far not having a problem. Make sure you are getting your Protein in. I am doing a sweet shake for Breakfast (I like Muscle Milk Light). I tried several but so far that is my favorite.

I can have a morning snack of 6 oz Tomato juice or 6 oz light juice, I'm not usually hungry midmorning (probably because I have my Breakfast at 8 or 9) so I usually skip the midmorning thing and do it midafternoon. I try to drink at least 2 cups of Water between breakfast and lunch.

I (so far) have been doing either the chicken Flavor powders?utm_source=BariatricPal&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=CommentLink" target="_ad" data-id="1" >unjury in hot Water

for lunch or the Unflavored Unjury with Better than Bouillon in hot water.

I usually do a great big cup of this; I like it and it really satisfies me and fills me up.

Then in the afternoon I try to get in two more glasses of water (you could do diet soda, Crystal Lite, ice tea, etc but I usually just do the water). I also usually do the snack about 3:00 or 4:00 in the afternoon.

For supper I get a frozen diet dinner (less than 300 calories and less than 20 grams carbs). Then MORE water in the evening.

I'm allowed an evening snack of either: another Protein Drink, or 6 oz light/no added sugar yogurt, or 3 cups unbuttered popcorn. I usually don't have the evening snack. Last night I did have 1/2 cup blueberries (nutritionist said I could substitute a 100 cal serving of fruit for juice, and since I hadn't had juice for a snack in the morning, I did the blueberries at night.

I can count all the shakes, etc as liquid, so by this time I usually have in my 8 glasses of water which surprises me, because I have always had a problem with this much liquid. I know not all pre-op diets are the same and some are radically different, and maybe you aren't allowed to have a meal a day. Hope this helps you some. I, like you, started my pre-op diet early, but what I did was have the liquids during the day, and then a regular meal at night. Also, if you are allowed to have a small meal, you might try it at lunch if this would help. I did try it one day that way, but I was starving by supper; don't really know why!!

Good luck on your diet!!

Hi Brandychick - my dad always drank brandy and water; I don't care for it but thought I'd throw it out here!!

SHESHEGIRL, here's my take on what I've tried so far:

1) Muscle Milk Light - chocolate mint flavor: pretty good, tastes like chocolate milk, couldn't taste much mint flavor, but that's ok. Buy it at Walgreens.

2) EAS AdvantEdge Carb Control choclate flavor - ok, thicker, but not as good as #1 - bought it at Walmart. I have the strawberry, but haven't tried it yet.

3) powders?utm_source=BariatricPal&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=CommentLink" target="_ad" data-id="1" >unjury unflavored Protein (used it in chicken broth) - EXCELLENT!! Just tasted the chicken broth, no taste of the Protein (no nasty smell either) Get it at Unjury.com I ordered several sample packets and they came REALLY quick.

4) Syntrax nectar Lemon Tea flavor - three words for this: NASTY NASTY NASTY!!!! Tastes and SMELLS AWFUL! Came in my sample pak from BariatricEating.com I have 17 more samples from this pak to try. I poured 1/3 of this bad boy down the drain. Was trying to force it down because 'I paid good money for it' and realized this was part of my eating problem - EAT IT ALL since you paid for it!! No need to gag down nasty ones when there are really good ones you can tolerate!!

I will post more 'reviews' on the additional ones in my sample paks if ya want me to.

Sounds great, can't wait to try it. I LOVE salsa. areellady, since this is a marinade, it probably isn't going to absorb all that oil.

Well, my first big bike excursion (after several months of little or no exercise) lasted all of two minutes, yes I mean 2 minutes, before I was huffing and puffing. Next one four minutes, four minutes of rest, then four more riding. I have a cheapy Walmart 7 speed that looks similar to the giant with big handlebars and big tires. If and when I get a little better I hope to get a better one. I wanted a Giant to begin with but wanted to make sure I would use it first (which I didn't to begin with). There is a Landrider showing on TV infomercial right now that is an automatic transmission - anyone heard of it?

Well, I am going to try for 10 minutes today!! I live in the country and can't go far without going up and down some minor inclines. I have coronary artery disease as well as a right knee replacement a couple years ago. The knee is doing fine but have to take it easy on the old ticker to get it built up gradually. My second excursion (8 minutes) took me a total of approximately 1 mile, so those who say they started at 3 miles - I am jealous! Of course, I'm also an old fart of 59 so maybe you younger ones have an advantage there. EXCUSES, EXCUSES, EXCUSES - I know I need to just get out and DO IT!!